Article burnishing means



March 26, 1957 c. c. KINKER ARTICLE BU RNISHING MEANS Filed Aug. 5, 1954INVENTOR.

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ARTICLE BURNISHING MEANS Clarence C. Kinker, Manitou Beach, Mich.,assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Hoover Ball & BearrngCompany, Ann Arbor, Mich., acorporation of Michigan Application August 5, 1954, Serial No. 448,072Claims. (Cl. 51-3) This invention relates to machines for burnishingarticles while submerged in or flooded by a liquid having a burnishingmaterial in suspension therein, and is particularly useful in connectionwith the burnishing of large articles of elongated form.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of meanscomprising a tub containing or receiving a liquid with a burnishingmaterial in suspension therein and at least one article to be burnishedmounted in the tub in portions to be submerged in or flooded by theliquid, together with frictional rubbing or bufling means acting on thewetted articles, one of said tub and rubbing means being reciprocablymovable throughout a predetermined substantially rectilinear pathwhereby buffing or polishing of the article takes place in first one andthen in the opposite direction of movement of the movable means orarticle, thereby effecting an efiicient, economical and rapid finishingof the articles.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in an articleburnishing machine, of a tub mounted 'for limited predeterminedreciprocatory movements in a substantially horizontal plane, preferablyin a straight line, and containing a liquid suspended burnishingmaterial in which articles to be burnished are mounted in submergedrelation, or which may be circulated over the face of the articles,together with driven frictional rubbing means operable in the tube incoperation with the liquid suspended burnishing material to burnish thewetted articles during movements in both directions of the tub.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a machine of theclass described, wherein the burnishing or articles takes place with thearticles completely wetted by an abrasive containing liquid, of rotatingmeans for flexibly acting on the wetted articles in a manner tofrictionally coact with and efficiently and economically burnishsurfaces having complex contours, corners, bevels, projections andrecesses. In the preferred form, the direction of motion of the rubbingelements of said rotating means moves in a direction parallel to thedirection of movement of the articles so that more eflicient burnishingof the sides of grooves and projections is obtained.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following detailed description thereof, and fi o Tn the accompanyingdrawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and in which Fig.l is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention, with thereciprocably movable tank at the limit of its movement to the right;

Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1, with parts broken away, and with thetank substantially midway of its stroke movement;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation taken substantially on the line 3-3in Fig. 2, with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3, withparts in full;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of an intermedinited StatesPatentC "ice trated in the drawings, a tank having a liquid suspendedburnishing material therein has provision for carrying one or morearticles submerged in or flooded by the liquid, and driven frictionalrubbing means is projected into the tank for burnishing engagement withthe wetted articles, one at least of said tank and means beingreciprocably movable relative to the other lengthwise of the tankwhereby articles in the tank are successively acted on by the rubbing orburnishing means in successive rel ative stroke movements thereof. Thisburnishing action is preferably accomplished by a longitudinal movementof flexible rubbing members that have a trailing action relative to theface of the work so that the manner of engagement of the burnishingparts of said members with the articles is different during successivereverse strokes of the reciprocably moved part whereby an eflicientburnishing operation in a rapid and economical manner is accomplishedregardless of the contour of the work.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, 20designates a stationary base frame structure of elongated rectangularform in plan and having at its top the two longitudinally extendingtransversely spaced parallel rails 21, 21, in the present instance ofangle bar form in cross-section.

Mounted over the frame 20 for guided movements lengthwise thereof is atank 22 for containing a liquid 23 (Fig. 4) in which suitable burnishingmaterial is held in suspension and in which the burnishing operationtakes place. This tank, in the present instance, is substantiallyrectangular in horizontal section and is of a width substantiallycorresponding to the width of the base frame and is of a lengthconsiderably greater than such width, and in the present instance islonger than the frame. The tank is provided at each lower side edge witha lengthwise extending frame bar 24 preferably of angle iron with itsvertical flange disposed outwardly and adapted to rest at its lower freeedge on supporting and guiding rolls 25 mounted in lengthwise spacedrelation on the outer side of each rail 21. These rolls are preferablygrooved to receive the lower edges of the bars and serve to guide thetank movements lengthwise of the base frame.

The tank 22 is preferably provided interiorly along its lower side edgeswith diagonally disposed strips or fillets 26 Which serve to direct anyof the burnishing material that may have settled out of the liquidtoward the longitudinal center of the tank. The tank sides terminate attheir upper edges in inwardly directed baflie flanges 27 forminginwardly-facing channel spaces 28 for the purpose hereinafter described.

Articles A to be burnished are mounted on brackets or fixtures 30preferably arranged along both sides of the tank adjacent to itslongitudinal center and in opposed relation. These brackets, in thepresent instance, are three in number at each side of the tank and areremovably mounted on pedestals 31 (Fig. 4) provided on the strips 26, soas to permit the brackets to be replaced by others suitable forsupporting the particular work-pieces to be burnished. At each stroke ofthe tank in one direction or the other, the set of supported work-piecesis moved entirely past or substantially past the burnishing means whichprojects down into the tank, as hereinafter described.

The drive means for the tank for moving it forward and backward on thebase frame 20 comprises a motor 35 (Fig. 3) mounted centrally in theframe and having suitable driving connection, in the present instance,through a belt-and-pulley means 36 and shaft 37, with a reductiongearing in a housing 38. This gearing has a shaft 39 (Fig. 4) projectingup from the housing and carrying a pinion 40 in mesh with a rack 41 onthe under side of the tank lengthwise thereof. A backing roller 42engages the rack-bar in opposition to the pinion. The motor is of thereversing type and reversal takes place automatically at the end of eachstroke movement of the tank with a very short time dwell at one end anda longer time dwell at the other end, the latter being sufiicient topermit removal and replacement of work on the brackets or fixtures 30,as hereinafter morefully described.

In the present machine, two mechanical burnishing unitsB .areprovidedfor operation in the tank 22 and cooperate with the liquid 23 in thetank to burnish the work Afthereinas thetank traverses forward andbackward on the base frame 20. These units are spaced lengthwise of. thetank and are disposed adjacent the center of the frame 20 in positionsthat will not interfere with the stroke movements of the tank.

Each unit B, in the present instance, includes a standard 45 fixedlymounted at one side on the frame 20 or on the floor or other meanssupporting the base frame, and a verticaly adjustable sleeve 46 ismounted on the upper end of the standard. The sleeve is supported on thestandard by a collar 47 threaded on the latter. The sleeve has a.bearing head48 on one side in which an arm 49 is mounted in transverserelation to the tank 22 and extends -at its inner end inwardly over theadjacent side of the tank (Figs. 1, 3 and 4). The inner end of the arm49 carries a head forming a vertical bearing sleeve 50 over thetransverse center of the tank, and a vertical shaft 51 is journaled inthis sleeve (Fig. 4). The shaft 51 carries at its lower endasubstantially disk-like burnishing head 53 forming a burnishing mat foroperating on the upper edge portions .of work-pieces A mounted onopposed brackets 30 in the tank. The burnishing mat and its downwardlyfacing spaced finger elements may be wholly or partially submergedin theburnishing liquid 23 if the tank is filled with burnishing liquid, or.the parts may be flooded by circulated liquid as hereinafter described.If the upper face of the parts need not be finished the mat 52 may beomitted and pipes for the distribution of burnishing liquid runcompletely across the upper face of the parts as indicated in Fig. 2.

The shaft 51 also carries, immediately below the mat 52, a rotary hub 54having a plurality of successive circumferentially spaced pliant arms55, each having a multiplicity of pliant burnishing fingers 56projecting laterally from the outer side thereof-near its outer end toform a burnishing mat at such end of the arm. Each arm 55 projectsoutward from the hub in a plane tangential to the hub and thence curvesrearwardly and is yieldingly backed at itsinner side by resilientlypliant strips 57 which, during the burnishing operation, bent backwardwith the arms 55 in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation ofthe hub 54. In other words, the mat ends of the arms 55 have a-trailingaction relative to the direction of rotation of the hub 54 and therubbing fingers 56 Wipe longitudinally across the adjacent faces of thework-pieces A, conforming to the irregular surfaces thereof andefficiently burnishing'the same by rubbing both high and low spots andcrevices therein in the presence .of the burnishing liquid so that theabrasive suspended in the liquid is broughtinto rubbing contact withexery exposed area of the work. The'arms 55 and their fingers 56 arepreferably madeof rubber and may be reinforced and stiffened by othersuitable material such as heavy fabric. The normal spread of the armmembers 55, and the fingers 56 during rotation of the hub 54, is greaterthan ithedistance between the opposed work-pieces in the tank so thatthe arms and fingers are bent back by wiping engagement with the work.The rotational speed of the'burnishing head is made much greater thanthe translatory speed of the work so that the head makes several passesover the work as the tank makes a single reciprocation. It will be seenthat the lateral spacing of the sides of the tank is preferably suchthat oppositely disposed work-pieces A are burnished simultaneously bythe same set of pliant arms. In this manner, the output of the machineis substantially doubled over what it would be if the work-pieces weremounted only on one side or below the burnishing elements.

An electric motor 58 is carried by each arm 49 at its outer end and isin driving connection with the upper end of the shaft 50 through abelt-and-pulley connection 59.

A splash guard or cover 60 is disposed over the open top of the tank 22above the area in which the burnishing members 52 and 55 operate. Thiscover is supported at its side edges by bracket arms 61 extendinginwardly from the upper ends of posts 62 rising from the respectivesides of the base structure 20. The side edge portions of the cover havehorizontal bafile flanges 63 that freely enter the recesses 28 at theupper edges of the respective tank sides, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.This interengaging of the flanges does not interfere with the strokemovements of the tank.

Depending from the under side of the cover 69 adjacent to each endthereof and at one side of the last burnishing unit B of the line is aplow or sediment agitator 65. This element extends to near the bottom ofthe tank 22 without touching the same, and is triangular incross-section with the sides thereof adjacent to the burnishing unittransversely concaved in an arc concentric to the axis of the adjacentshaft 51 and having its apex opposing such side as shown. Duringreciprocatory movements of the tank, the plows 65 cause an agitation ofsediment or precipitated abrasive material that may settle on the tankbottom.

While it is preferred that the level of burnishing liquid in the tank bemaintained high enough to submerge the work-pieces, it has been foundthat flooding of the work with abrasive-carrying liquid will sufiice insome instances. Flooding may be accomplished by a circulating pump Phaving its intake in the bottom of the tank and its discharge connectedto a plurality of spray pipes 66. A spray pipeis located, as shown inFig. 6, in advance of the path of rotation of the rubbing elements oneach side of the tank, and the spray therefrom is directed against therespective laterally opposite work-pieces. The burnishing liquid ispartially carried into contact with the work by the fingers of therubbing elements. Other liquid discharge pipes'67 may be located abovethe work if the mat 52 is omitted as in those instances where burnishingonly of the inwardly disposed face of the work is required. Theabrasive-carrying liquid discharged from pipes 67 runs down over andcompletely floods the work.

It has been found that it is of great importance to maintain thetemperature of the burnishing liquid at a relatively low level, below 90F. and preferably below F. If the temperature is permitted to rise abovethis level, the work dries so rapidly that some of the very minuteabrasive particles adhere thereto even through a thorough rinsingoperation, and the adhering particles cause blisters and defects whenthe work is subsequently electroplated. With the lower temperature, thedifficulty is eliminated and the scrap losses substantially reduced.Cooling of the abrasive-carrying liquid may be accomplished in anysuitable'manner-as by passing cold water through pipes'68 in the lowerportion of the tank in contact with the liquid therein. The water heatedin these pipes may conveniently be used in the rinsing apparatus (notshown) to which the finished parts are passed from the burnishingmachine. In the event that the burnishing liquid is circulated by pump Pfor flooding, a heat exchanger 69 may be used to keep such liquid withinthe specified temperature range.

In operation, the tank-22 is moved in first one direction and then theother by the motor 35 acting through the speed reducer 38 and rack andpinion 41, 40. At

each end of the tank movement a cam 70 on the tank strikes and operatesa respective right or left limit switch arm 71 or 72, thus stopping thestroke movement and operating an associated time relay reversal switch73 or 74 to [reverse the motor. The right reversal switch 73 has an oildwell of approximately twenty seconds to allow time for removingburnished articles from the brackets 31 and replacing them with others,while the olf dwell of the reversal switch at the other end is onlyabout one-quarter second. During each stroke of the tank, the set ofwork-pieces A mounted therein moves entirely past both (or all)burnishing units B, or substantially so, whereby each work-piece isacted on by each burnishing head to effect a thorough burnishing thereofwith the pliant fingers of the mats engaging and eiiiciently burnishingboth depressed and high spots thereon, such action taking place whilethe articles are submerged in or completely flooded by the burnishingliquid 23;

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specificconstruction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable ofnumerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit ofthe claims.

I claim:

1. In an article burnishing machine having an elongated tank, meansmounting said tank for reciprocatory movements lengthwise thereof and insubstantially a horizontal plane, mounting means in the tank for anarticle to be burnished, means to wet said article with a burnishingliquid, and means for imparting successive stroke movements to the tankin opposite directions; the combination of a 'burnishing meansprojecting into said tank and comprising a rotary element having aplurality of radially and rearwardly extending circumferentially spacedcompliant burnishing mats extending into rubbing engagement with awetted article mounted in the tank as said rotary element is rotated andthe article moves past it.

2. In an article burnishing machine having an elongated tank, meansmounting said tank for reciprocatory movements lengthwise thereof and insubstantially a horizontal plane, mounting means in the tank for anarticle to be burnished, means :to wet said article with a burnishingliquid, and means for imparting successive stroke movements to the tankin opposite directions; the combination of a burnishing means projectinginto said tank and comprising a rotary element having a plurality ofradially extending circumferentially spaced compliant rub ber burnishingmat-s extending into rubbing engagement with a wetted article mounted insaid tank over a path which lies on a chord with respect to the centerof rotation of said rotary element as said rotary element is rotated andthe article moves past it.

3. In an article burnishing machine having an elongated tank, meansmounting said tank for rcciprocatory movements lengthwise thereof and insubstantially a horizontal plane, mounting means in the tank for anarticle to 'be burnished, means to wet said article with a burnishingliquid, and means for imparting successive stroke movements to the tankin opposite directions; the combination of a burnishing means projectinginto said tank and comprising a rotary element having a plurality ofradially extending circumferentially spaced resilient arms projectingoutwardly and rearwardly therefrom relative to the direction of rotationand having a multiplicity of compliant rubber rubbing elements on theouter sides of their outer end portions forming burnishing mats forrubbing engagement across the face of a wetted article mounted in saidtank as the element is rotated and the article moves past it.

4. The combination of elements defined by claim 1, and a secondburnjshing means comprising a disk-like burnishing mat engaging edgeportions of a wetted article mounted in said tank.

5. The combination of elements defined in claim 1, and a cooling coil insaid tank to maintain the temperature of burnishing liquid used to wetsaid articles to a temperature below F.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS101,479 Lyons Apr. 5, 1870 542,529 Needham July 9, 1895 603,761 GrahamMay 10, 1898 622,432 Almon Apr. 4, 1899 648,890 :Williams May 1, 19001,108,779 Norton Aug. 25, 1914 2,477,733 Garside Aug. 2, 1949 2,608,816Lembke Sept. 2, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 64,644- Sweden Feb. 4, 1925

